US9052820B2 - Multi-application environment - Google Patents

Abstract

This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling a multi-application environment. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable multi-application environments having combinations of immersive interfaces, windows-based interfaces, and a desktop treated as an immersive interface.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/118,339, filed on May 27, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Additionally, this application incorporates the following application by reference in its entirety: —U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/118,347, filed on May 27, 2011.

BACKGROUND

Conventional operating systems permit users to view multiple computing applications through windows. Each of these windows generally includes a frame having controls for interacting with the computing application as well as controls for selecting which window frame is primary or moving, sizing, or otherwise managing the layout of the window. These window frames, however, occupy portions of a display that might otherwise be dedicated to an application's content. Furthermore, managing the primacy or layout of these windows through these controls can be time-consuming and annoying to users.

SUMMARY

This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling a multi-application environment. The multi-application environment described herein can present multiple applications without dedicating significant amounts of a display to window frames for the applications and/or requiring management of window frames, such as their size, location, or primacy on the display. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable multi-application environments having combinations of immersive interfaces, windows-based interfaces, and a desktop treated as an immersive interface. Also, in some embodiments the techniques and apparatuses enable management of applications in the multi-application environment, such as to size and move interfaces within the environment. Further still, some embodiments enable management of previously-interacted-with applications that are not currently presented. Further, some embodiments of the techniques enable management of applications and their interfaces, whether currently displayed or not, through edge gestures or a user interface management menu.

This summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Techniques and/or apparatuses enabling a multi-application environment are also referred to herein separately or in conjunction as the “techniques” as permitted by the context, though techniques may include or instead represent other aspects described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments enabling a multi-application environment are described with reference to the following drawings. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system in which techniques enabling a multi-application environment can be implemented.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example method for enabling edge gestures, the edge gestures being approximately perpendicular to an edge in which the gesture begins.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example tablet computing device having a touch-sensitive display presenting an immersive interface.

FIG. 4 illustrates the example immersive interface ofFIG. 3 along with example edges.

FIG. 5 illustrates the example immersive interface ofFIGS. 3 and 4 along with angular variance lines from a perpendicular line and a line from a start point to a later point of a gesture.

FIG. 6 illustrates the edges of the immersive interface shown inFIG. 4 along with two regions in the right edge.

FIG. 7 illustrates an application-selection interface presented by a system-interface module in response to an edge gesture made over the immersive interface and webpage ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example method for enabling edge gestures including determining an interface to present based on some factor of the gesture.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example method enabling expansion of, or ceasing presentation of, a user interface presented in response to an edge gesture or presentation of another user interface.

FIG. 10 illustrates a laptop computer having a touch-sensitive display having a windows-based email interface and two immersive interfaces.

FIG. 11 illustrates the interfaces ofFIG. 10 along with two gestures having a start point, later points, and one or more successive points.

FIG. 12 illustrates the windows-based email interface ofFIGS. 10 and 11 along with an email handling interface presented in response to an edge gesture.

FIG. 13 illustrates the interfaces ofFIG. 12 along with an additional-email-options interface presented in response to a gesture determined to have a successive point a preset distance from the edge.

FIG. 14 illustrates a method for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application using a queue.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example interaction order in which a user interacts with various applications.

FIG. 16 illustrates the immersive interface ofFIG. 3 along with a thumbnail image of a user interface of a prior application.

FIG. 17 illustrates a method for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application, which may or may not use a queue.

FIG. 18 illustrates the immersive interface ofFIGS. 3 and 16, two progressive presentations, and two gesture portions.

FIG. 19 illustrates a method enabling a multi-application environment, including altering sizes of multiple immersive interfaces responsive to a single selection.

FIG. 20 illustrates the desktop computing device ofFIG. 1 having a touch-sensitive display shown displaying a multi-application environment with two immersive interfaces divided by an interface divider region.

FIG. 21 illustrates the multi-application environment ofFIG. 20 with sizes of the two immersive interfaces altered and the interface divider region moved.

FIG. 22 illustrates a method for displaying an immersive interface of an application in a region responsive to as little as one selection and at a size fully occupying the region.

FIG. 23 illustrates a current immersive interface fully occupying a multi-application environment having three regions.

FIG. 24 illustrates the multi-application environment ofFIG. 23 with a reduced-size immersive interface instead of the current immersive interface ofFIG. 23 and a second immersive interface.

FIG. 25 illustrates a method for managing a multi-application environment through a user interface.

FIG. 26 illustrates an example multi-application environment having primary and non-primary regions.

FIG. 27 illustrates the multi-application environment ofFIG. 26 including a user interface management menu.

FIG. 28 illustrates a method enabling display of a desktop as an immersive interface within a multi-application environment.

FIG. 29 illustrates an example multi-application environment having a desktop immersive interface displaying windows-based interfaces and a taskbar along with an immersive interface displaying content.

FIG. 30 illustrates a method enabling content presentation and/or management of a multi-application environment.

FIG. 31 illustrates an example device in which techniques enabling a multi-application environment can be implemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Overview

This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling a multi-application environment. The multi-application environment described herein can present multiple applications without dedicating significant amounts of a display to window frames for the applications and/or requiring management of window frames, such as their size, location, or primacy on the display. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable multi-application environments having combinations of immersive interfaces, windows-based interfaces, and a desktop treated as an immersive interface. Also, in some embodiments the techniques and apparatuses enable management of applications currently presented in or not currently presented in the multi-application environment, such as to size and move interfaces within the environment and select previously-interacted-with applications that are not currently presented. This and other forms of management are enabled, in some embodiments, through edge gestures made over the multi-application environment or a user interface management menu.

These are but a few examples of many ways in which the techniques enable a multi-application environment, others of which are described below.

Example System

FIG. 1 illustrates anexample system100 in which techniques enabling a multi-application environment can be embodied.System100 includes acomputing device102, which is illustrated with six examples: alaptop computer104, atablet computing device106, asmart phone108, a set-top box110, adesktop computer112, and agaming device114, though other computing devices and systems, such as servers and netbooks, may also be used.

Computing device102 includes computer processor(s)116 and computer-readable storage media118 (media118).Media118 includes anoperating system120, windows-basedmode module122,multi-application environment module124, system-interface module126,gesture handler128,application manager130, which includes or has access to application queue132,manager134, and one ormore applications136, each having one or moreapplication user interfaces138.

Computing device102 also includes or has access to one ormore displays140 andinput mechanisms142. Four example displays are illustrated inFIG. 1.Input mechanisms142 may include gesture-sensitive sensors and devices, such as touch-based sensors and movement-tracking sensors (e.g., camera-based), as well as mice (free-standing or integral with a keyboard), track pads, and microphones with accompanying voice recognition software, to name a few.Input mechanisms142 may be separate or integral withdisplays140; integral examples include gesture-sensitive displays with integrated touch-sensitive or motion-sensitive sensors.

Windows-basedmode module122 presentsapplication user interfaces138 through windows having frames. These frames may provide controls through which to interact with an application and/or controls enabling a user to move and resize the window.

Multi-application environment module124 provides an environment by which a user may view and interact with one or more ofapplications136 throughapplication user interfaces138.Multi-application environment124 may present one or moreapplication user interfaces138 in conjunction with windows-basedmode module122.Multi-application environment124 may also or instead present one or moreapplication user interfaces138 as immersive interfaces.

An immersive interface, in some embodiments, presents content of, and enables interaction with, applications with little or no window frame, without a need for a user to manage a window frame's layout or primacy relative to other windows (e.g., which window is active or up front), without a need for a user to manually size or positionapplication user interfaces138, and/or without presenting visual controls (e.g., permanent controls on a window frame or in a window obscuring content).

The multi-application environment enabled bymulti-application environment module124 can be, but is not required to be, hosted and/or surfaced without use of a windows-based desktop environment. Thus, in some casesmulti-application environment module124 presents a multi-application environment as an immersive environment, and thus without a window (even one without a substantial frame) and/or precludes usage of desktop-like displays (e.g., a taskbar). Further still, in some embodiments this multi-application environment is similar to an operating system in that it is not closeable or capable of being un-installed. While not required, in some cases this multi-application environment enables use of all or nearly all of the pixels of a display by applications within the multi-application environment.

Examples of multi-application environments, some of which include only immersive interfaces and some of which include a windows-based interface or a desktop treated as an immersive interface, are provided below, though they are not exhaustive or intended to limit the techniques described herein.

System-interface module126 provides one or more interfaces through which interaction withoperating system120 is enabled, such as an application-launching interface, a start menu, or a system tools or options menu, to name just a few.

Operating system120,modules122,124, and126, as well asgesture handler128,application manager130, andmanager134 can be separate from each other or combined or integrated in any suitable form.

Example Methods

Example methods200,800, and900 address edge gestures,example methods1400 and1700 address switching back to a previously-interacted-with application,example methods1900 and2200 address managing an immersive interface in a multi-application environment,example method2500 addresses managing a multi-application environment through a user interface,method2800 address a desktop treated as an immersive interface within a multi-application environment,method3000 addresses content presentation and/or management of a multi-application environment.

The methods may be used separately or in combination with each other, in whole or in part. For example, the techniques may use an edge gesture to enable selection, sizing, and switching of interfaces currently in a multi-application environment. The techniques may also select previously-interacted-with applications using an application queue, with or without an edge gesture. Further, the techniques may automatically size multiple interfaces on selection of a previously-interacted-with application through an application queue or responsive to a selection to move or alter a currently-displayed interface.

Edge Gestures

FIG. 2 depicts amethod200 for enabling edge gestures based on the edge gesture being approximately perpendicular to an edge in which the gesture begins. In portions of the following discussion, reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1 and other methods and example embodiments described elsewhere herein, reference to which is made for example only.

Block202 receives a gesture. This gesture may be received at various parts of a display, such as over a windows-based interface, an immersive interface, or no interface. Further, this gesture may be made and received in various manners, such as a pointer tracking a movement received through a touch pad, mouse, or roller ball or a physical movement made with arm(s), finger(s), or a stylus received through a motion-sensitive or touch-sensitive mechanism.

By way of example considerFIG. 3, which illustrates atablet computing device106.Tablet106 includes a touch-sensitive display302 shown displaying animmersive interface304 that includes awebpage306. As part of an ongoing example, atblock202gesture handler128 receivesgesture308 as shown inFIG. 3.

Block204 determines whether a start point of the gesture is at an edge. As noted above, the edge in question can be an edge of a user interface, whether immersive or windows-based, and/or of a display. In some cases, of course, an edge of a user interface is also an edge of a display. The size of the edge can vary based on various factors about the display or interface. A small display or interface may have a smaller size in absolute or pixel terms than a large display or interface. A highly sensitive input mechanism permits a smaller edge as well. Example edges are rectangular and vary between one and twenty pixels in one dimension and an interface limit of the interface or display in the other dimension, though other sizes and shapes, including convex and concave edges may instead be used.

Continuing the ongoing example, considerFIG. 4, which illustratesimmersive interface304 andgesture308 ofFIG. 3 as well asleft edge402,top edge404,right edge406, andbottom edge408. Forvisual clarity webpage306 is not shown. In this example the dimensions of the interface and display are of a moderate size, between that of smart phones and that of many laptop and desktop displays.Edges402,404,406, and408 have a small dimension of twenty pixels, an area of each shown bounded by dashed lines at twenty pixels from the display or interface limit atedge limit410,412,414, and416, respectively. While shown overlapping at the corners, edges may instead be mitered at the corners or one edge can be favored over another (e.g.,edge404 is favored overedge406 if a start point is received at the overlapping corner).

Gesture handler128 determines thatgesture308 has astart point418 and that thisstart point418 is withinleft edge402.Gesture handler128 determines the start point in this case by receiving data indicating [X,Y] coordinates in pixels at whichgesture308 begins and comparing the first of these coordinates to those pixels contained within eachedge402,404,406, and408.Gesture handler128 often can determine the start point and whether it is in an edge faster than a sample rate, thereby causing little or no performance downgrade from techniques that simply pass gestures directly to an exposed interface over which a gesture is made.

Returning tomethod200 generally, ifblock204 determines that the start point of the gesture is not at an edge,method200 proceeds along a “No” path to block206. Block206 passes the gestures to an exposed user interface, such as an underlying interface over which the gesture was received. Altering the ongoing example, assume thatgesture308 was determined not to have a start point within an edge. In such acase gesture handler128 passes buffered data forgesture308 toimmersive user interface304. After passing the gesture,method200 ends.

Ifblock204 determines that the start point of the gesture is in an edge,method200 proceeds along a “Yes” path to block208.Block208 responds to the positive determination ofblock204 by determining whether a line from the start point to a later point of the gesture is approximately perpendicular from the edge.

Block208, in some embodiments, determines the later point used.Gesture handler128, for example, can determine the later point of the gesture based on the later point being received a preset distance from the edge or the start point, such aspast edge limit410 foredge402 or twenty pixels fromstart point418, all ofFIG. 4. In some other embodiments,gesture handler128 determines the later point based on it being received a preset time after receipt of the start point, such an amount of time slightly greater than used generally by computingdevice102 to determine that a gesture is a tap-and-hold or hover gesture.

For the ongoing embodiment,gesture handler128 uses a later-received point ofgesture308 received outside ofedge402 so long as that later-received point is received within a preset time. If no point is received outside of the edge within that preset time,gesture handler128 proceeds to block206 and passesgesture308 toimmersive interface304.

Using the start point, block208 determines whether a line from the start point to the later point of the gesture is approximately perpendicular to the edge. Various angles of variance can be used in this determination byblock208, such as five, ten, twenty, or thirty degrees.

By way of example, consider an angle of variance of thirty degrees from perpendicular.FIG. 5 illustrates this example variance, showingimmersive interface304,gesture308, leftedge402, leftedge limit410, and startpoint418 ofFIGS. 3 and 4 along with a thirty-degree variance lines502 fromperpendicular line504. Thus,gesture handler128 determines thatline506 fromstart point418 to later point508 (which is at about twenty degrees from perpendicular) is approximately perpendicular based on being within the example thirty-degree variance line502.

Generally, ifblock208 determines that the line is not approximately perpendicular to the edge,method200 proceeds along a “No” path to block206. As noted in part above, block208 may also determine that a later point or other aspect of a gesture disqualifies the gesture. Examples include when a later point is within the edge, such as due to a hover, tap, press-and-hold, or up-and-down gesture (e.g., to scroll content in the user interface), or when the gesture is set to be a single-input gesture and a second input is received (e.g., a first finger starts at an edge but a second finger then lands anywhere).

Ifblock208 determines that the line is approximately perpendicular based a later point outside the edge,method200 proceeds along a “Yes” path to block210.

Block210 responds to the positive determination ofblock208 by passing the gesture to an entity other than the exposed user interface. This entity is not a user interface over which the gesture was received, assuming it was received over a user interface at all.Block210 may determine to which entity to pass the gesture as well, such as based on an edge or region of an edge in which the start point of the gesture is received. ConsiderFIG. 6, for example, which illustratesimmersive interface304 andedges402,404,406, and408 ofFIG. 4 but addstop region602 andbottom region604 toright edge406. A start point intop region602 can result in a different entity (or even a same entity but a different user interface provided in response) than a start point received tobottom region604. Likewise, a start point intop edge404 can result in a different entity or interface thanleft edge402 orbottom edge408.

In some cases, this entity is an application associated with the user interface rather than an application not associated with the user interface, such as a system entity or a different application. In such a case, passing the gesture to the entity can be effective to cause the application to present a second user interface enabling interaction with the application. In the movie example above, the entity can be the media player playing the movie but not the immersive interface displaying the movie. The media player can then present a second user interface enabling selection of subtitles or a director's commentary rather than selections enabled by the interface displaying the movie, such as “pause,” “play,” and “stop.” This capability is permitted inFIG. 1, where one ofapplications136 can include or be capable of presenting more than oneapplication user interface138. Thus, block210 can pass the gesture to system-interface module126, the one ofapplications136 currently presenting the user interface, or another ofapplications136, to name just three possibilities.

Concluding the ongoing embodiment, atblock210gesture handler128 passesgesture308 to system-interface module126. System-interface module126 receives the buffered portion ofgesture308 and continues to receive the rest ofgesture308 as it is made by the user.FIG. 7 illustrates a possible response upon receivinggesture308, showing an application-selection interface702 presented by system-interface module126 and overimmersive interface304 andwebpage306 fromFIG. 3. Application-selection interface702 enables selection of various other applications and their respective interfaces atselectable application tiles704,706,708, and710.

The example application-selection interface702 is an immersive user interface presented usingmulti-application environment module124, though this is not required. Presented interfaces may instead be windows-based and presented using windows-basedmode module122. Both of these modules are illustrated inFIG. 1.

Block210 may also or instead determine to pass the gesture to different entities and/or interfaces based on other factors about the gesture received. Example factors are described in greater detail inmethod800 below.

Note thatmethod200 and other methods described hereafter can be performed in real-time, such as while a gesture is being made and received. This permits, among other things, a user interface presented in response to a gesture to be presented prior to completion of the gesture. Further, the user interface can be presented progressively as the gesture is received. This permits a user experience of dragging out the user interface from the edge as the gesture is performed with the user interface appearing to “stick” to the gesture (e.g., to a mouse pointer or person's finger making the gesture).

FIG. 8 depicts amethod800 for enabling edge gestures including determining an interface to present based on some factor of the gesture. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1, reference to which is made for example only.Method800 may act wholly or partly separate from or in conjunction with other methods described herein.

Block802 determines that a gesture made over a user interface has a start point at an edge of the user interface and a later point not within the edge.Block802 may operate similarly to or use aspects ofmethod200, such as determining a later point on which to base block802's determination.Block802 may act differently as well.

In one case, for example, block802 determines that a gesture is a single-finger swipe gesture starting at an edge of an exposed immersive user interface and having a later point not at the edge but not based on an angle of the gesture. Based on this determination, block802 proceeds to block804 rather than pass the gesture to the exposed immersive user interface.

Block804 determines which interface to present based on one or more factors of the gesture.Block804 may do so based on a final or intermediate length of the gesture, whether the gesture is single or multi-point (e.g., a single-finger or multi-finger gesture), or a speed of the gesture. Thus, block804 may determine to present a start menu in response to a multi-finger gesture, an application-selection interface in response to a relatively short single-finger gesture, or a system-control interface permitting selection to shut downcomputing device102 in response to relatively long single-finger gesture, for example. To do so,gesture handler128 may determine the length of the gesture or a number of inputs (e.g., fingers). In response, block806 presents the determined user interface.

Assume, by way of example, thatgesture handler128 determines, based on a factor of the gesture, to present a user interface enabling interaction withoperating system120. In response system-interface module126 presents this user interface. Presentation of the user interface can be similar to manners described in other methods, such as with a progressive display of application-selection user interface702 ofFIG. 7.

Followingmethod200 and/ormethod800 in whole or in part, the techniques may proceed to performmethod900 ofFIG. 9.Method900 enables expansion of a user interface, presentation of another interface, or ceasing presentation of the user interface presented in response to an edge gesture.

Block902 receives a successive point of the gesture and after presentation of at least some portion of the second user interface. As noted in part above,methods200 and/or800 are able to present or cause to be presented a second user interface, such as a second user interface for the same application associated with a current user interface, a different application, or a system user interface.

By way of example, considerFIG. 10, which illustrates alaptop computer104 having a touch-sensitive display1002 displaying a windows-basedemail interface1004 and twoimmersive interfaces1006 and1008. Windows-basedemail interface1004 is associated with an application that manages email, which can be remote or local tolaptop computer104.FIG. 10 also illustrates two gestures,1010 and1012.Gesture1010 proceeds in a straight line whilegesture1012 reverses back (shown with two arrows to show two directions).

FIG. 11 illustratesgesture1010 having astart point1102, alater point1104, and asuccessive point1106, andgesture1012 having asame start point1102, alater point1108, and a firstsuccessive point1110, and a secondsuccessive point1112.FIG. 11 also shows abottom edge1114, a later-point area1116, and an interface-addition area1118.

Block904 determines, based on the successive point, whether the gesture includes a reversal, an extension, or neither.Block904 may determine a reversal by determining that a successive point is at the edge or is closer to the edge than a prior point of the gesture.Block904 may determine that the gesture extends based on the successive point being a preset distance from the edge or the later point. If neither of these is determined to be true,method900 may repeatblocks902 and904 to receive and analyze additional successive points until the gesture ends. Ifblock904 determines that there is a reversal,method900 proceeds along “Reversal” path to block906. Ifblock904 determines that the gesture is extended,method900 proceeds along an “Extension” path to block908.

In the context of the present example, assume thatgesture handler128 receives firstsuccessive point1110 ofgesture1012.Gesture handler128 then determines that firstsuccessive point1110 is not atedge1114, is not closer than a prior point of the gesture to edge1114 (e.g., is not closer than later point1108), and is not a preset distance from the edge or later point by not being within interface-addition region1118. In such acase method900 returns to block902.

On a second iteration ofblock902, assume thatgesture handler128 receives secondsuccessive point1112. In such a case,gesture handler128 determines that secondsuccessive point1112 is closer to edge1114 than firstsuccessive point1110 and thusgesture1012 includes a reversal.Gesture handler128 then proceeds to block906 to cease to present the second user interface previously presented in response to the gesture. By way of example, considerFIG. 12, which illustrates anemail handling interface1202. In this example case ofblock906,gesture handler128 causes the email application to cease to presentinterface1202 in response to a reversal of gesture1012 (not shown removed).

Block908, however, presents or causes presentation of a third user interface or expansion of the second user interface. Continuing the ongoing example, considerFIG. 13, which illustrates additional-email-options interface1302 in response togesture1010 determined to have successive point1106 a preset distance fromedge1104, in this case being within interface-addition region1118 ofFIG. 11. This region and preset distance can be set based on a size of the user interface previously presented in response to the gesture. Thus, a user wishing to add additional controls may simply extend the gesture past the user interface presented in response to an earlier portion of the gesture.

Method900 can be repeated to add additional user interfaces or expand a presented user interface. Returning to theexample interface702 ofFIG. 7, for example,gesture handler128 can continue to add interfaces or controls to interface702 asgesture308 extendspast interface702, such as by presenting an additional set of selectable application tiles. Ifgesture308 extends past the additional tiles,gesture handler128 may cause system-interface module126 to present another interface adjacent the tiles to enable the user to select controls, such as to suspend, hibernate, switch modes (immersive to windows-based and the reverse), or shut downcomputing device102.

While the above example user interfaces presented in response to an edge gesture are opaque, they may also be partially transparent. This can be useful by not obscuring content. In the movie example described above, a user interface presented can be partially transparent thereby permitting the movie to be only partially obscured during use of the user interface. Similarly, in the example ofFIGS. 12 and 13,interfaces1202 and1302 may be partially transparent, thereby enabling a user to see the text of the email while also selecting a control in one of the interfaces.

As noted above,example methods200,800, and900 address edge gestures and are described prior tomethods1400 and1700, which address switching back to a previously-interacted-with application. Any one or more of the method may be used separately or in combination with, in whole or in part, others of the methods.

Switching Back to a Previously-Interacted-With Application

FIG. 14 depicts amethod1400 for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application using a queue. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1 and other methods and example embodiments described elsewhere herein, reference to which is made for example only.

Block1402 maintains a queue of multiple interacted-with applications, the queue arranged by most-recently-interacted-with to least-recently-interacted-with applications other than a current application. Consider, for example,FIG. 15, which illustrates aninteraction order1502 in which a user interacts with various applications. First, the user interacts with a web-searchingapplication1504 through its interface. Second, the user interacts with a web-enabledmedia application1506 through a web browser. Third, the user interacts with a local (non-web)photo application1508 through its interface. Fourth, the user interacts with a social-networking application1510 through the web browser. Fifth, the user returns to interacting with the web-enabledmedia application1506. Sixth, the user interacts with a web-enablednews application1512 again through the web browser.

For the first interaction no queue is maintained as no other applications have been interacted with prior to this first interaction. For the second through sixth interactions ofinteraction order1502, considerqueues1514,1516,1518,1520, and1522, which correspond to each interaction ininteraction order1502 after the first interaction, respectively.Queues1514 to1522 are example iterations of application queue132 maintained byapplication manager130, both ofFIG. 1.

As shown inFIG. 15,application manager130 keeps application queue132 up-do-date based on a user's interactions.Queue1522, for example, includesmedia application1506 as the most-recently-interacted application, followed by social-networking application1510,photo application1508, and ending with web-searchingapplication1504. As the user interacts withmedia application1506 twice (at the second and fifth interaction)application manager130 removes it from application queue132 at the fifth interaction and reorders the other applications to reflect an up-to-date order of interactions but excluding currently-interacted-with applications.

Block1404 receives a gesture or gesture portions. This gesture or gesture portions can include one or more of the various gestures or portions described elsewhere herein, such as a pointer tracking a movement received through a touch pad, mouse, or roller ball or a physical movement made with arm(s), finger(s), or a stylus received through a motion-sensitive or touch-sensitive mechanism. In some embodiments, gesture portions are received, each portion being part of one gesture and each resulting in presentation of an application in the queue. Each of these portions may have, but are not required to have, a start point at an edge of a display, a later point not at the edge of the display, and a successive point at the edge of the display. A gesture having multiple portions in this case would look something like a multi-loop spiral, multiple circles, or a back-and-forth (e.g., zigzag) where each loop, circle, or back-and-forth starts, leaves, and returns to an edge of a user interface or display. Optionally,block1404 may receive a number of gestures or gesture portions. These gestures or gesture portions can include one or more of the various gestures or gestures portions described elsewhere herein.

Continuing the ongoing embodiment, consider againFIG. 3, which illustratestablet computing device106 having touch-sensitive display302 shown displayingimmersive interface304 includingwebpage306. For this example, assume thatimmersive interface304 is associated withnews application1512 and thatwebpage306 is content fromnews application1512.

As part of this example, atblock1404,gesture handler128 receivesgesture308 as shown inFIG. 3, whichgesture handler128 passes toapplication manager130. For the ongoing example, assume thatgesture308 is determined to be associated with switching back to a previously-interacted-with application rather than some other function or application.

Block1406, responsive to receiving the gesture or gesture portions, proceeds through the queue to another application of the multiple interacted-with applications. Thus, on receiving the gesture or gesture portion(s),application manager130 may proceed to the first, and thus the most-recently-interacted-with of the applications of application queue132. In some embodiments, on receiving two gestures or portions,application manager130 may proceed to the second most-recently-interacted-with application of application queue132, thoughmethod1400 may do so by repeatingblocks1404,1406 and/or1408, and so forth as described below.

Continuing the ongoing embodiment, assume thatgesture308 is received after the sixth interaction at which time the currently-interacted-with application isnews application1512 and that application queue132 is up-to-date and represented byqueue1522 ofFIG. 15. In such a case,application manager130 proceeds tomedia application1506 on receiving the gesture or gesture portion.

Block1408 presents a user interface associated with the other application. This user interface, in some embodiments, is the same user interface through which interaction with the application was previously made. In some embodiments, the user interface is presented as a thumbnail or transparent overlay above the currently presented user interface.Application manager130 presents this user interface alone or in combination with the associated application, such as by causing the associated application to present the user interface with which the user last interacted.

For this example,application manager130 presents a thumbnail image of the user interface for the application progressively asgesture308 is received and then expands the thumbnail to encompass the available real estate of the display when the gesture ends.Application manager130 thereby replaceswebpage306 inimmersive interface304 or replacesimmersive interface304 with another interface, which can be immersive or windows-based.

This is illustrated inFIG. 16 withthumbnail image1602 of a user interface ofmedia application1506 presented overimmersive interface304 andwebpage306 ofnews application1512. Aftergesture308 ends,thumbnail image1602 expands intomedia player1604, replacingwebpage306 inimmersive interface304. This is but one example manner for presenting the user interface for the selected application, others manners for responding progressively or otherwise are described elsewhere herein.

In some embodiments,block1408 shrinks the current user interface to a second thumbnail image and passes the second thumbnail image toward a region of a display from which the first-mentioned thumbnail image is progressively presented. Thus,block1408 expandsthumbnail image1602 intomedia player1604 while shrinkingwebpage306 to a thumbnail image and passing that thumbnail to the edge from whichthumbnail image1602 was selected.

During the presentation of the user interface atblock1408, another gesture or gesture portion may be received, returning to block1404. In some cases, the other gesture or gesture portion is received within an amount of time while the user interface is presented byblock1408. Following the return to block1404, block1406 may then proceed to yet another or subsequent application of the multiple interacted-with applications. Continuing this progression,block1408 then presents a user interface associated with the subsequent application of the multiple interacted-with applications.

Thus, by repeatingblocks1404,1406, and1408 user interfaces associated with previously interacted-with applications can be successively presented. In some cases, a user interface associated with a previously-interacted with application can be presented responsive to each gesture received. In the context of the present example, when another gesture is received while presenting the user interface ofmedia application1506, a user interface associated with social-networking application1510 (the second most-recently interacted with application of queue1522) is presented. Receiving yet another gesture or gesture portion during the presentation of the user interface associated with social-networking application1510 results in a presentation of a user interface associated with photo application1508 (the third most-recently interacted with application of queue1522) and so forth.

Following this switch from presenting a current application to a presenting another selected, prior application,block1410 updates the queue responsive to interaction with, or a time period passing during presentation of, the user interface associated with the other application. In some cases a prior application may be selected and then another quickly selected after it, effectively a scanning through of the applications in the queue. In such cases,block1410 may forgo updating the queue, as a quick viewing may not be considered an interaction.

Example interactions with whichapplication manager130 updates application queue132 include an explicit selection to interact with the newly presented interface, such as to control playback or edit information relating to currently playing media using controls shown in the user interface ofmedia player1604 ofFIG. 16. In other cases an interaction is determined based on a time period passing. Assume, for example, that the news application's webpage is presented on selection rather than being the current application. After some period, such as one, two, or three seconds, for example,application manager130 determines that the delay is effectively an interaction based on a likelihood that the user is reading the news article in the webpage. Similarly, presentation of a user interface for a media application atblock1408 that is playing media and remains on the display without another selection of applications in application queue132 can also be considered an interaction.

As noted in part above, application queue132 can be circular. In so doing, selection of applications is not stopped but rather rolls if a user reaches a least-recently-interacted with application of application queue132. For example, on selecting to switch back to a prior application from social-networking application1510 and thus usingqueue1518, switching back once results in selectingphoto application1508, twice results inmedia application1506, and three times to web-searchingapplication1504. A fourth selection to switch back returns, in a circular fashion, to again result in presentingphoto application1508.

Method1400 describes various ways in which the techniques can enable selection of previously-interacted-with applications and determine which to present based on a queue.Method1700 may operate in conjunction withmethod1400 and other methods described herein, though using a queue is not required. Therefore,method1400 is not intended to limit the techniques as described inexample method1700.

FIG. 17 depicts amethod1700 for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application, which may or may not use a queue. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1,methods200,800,900,1400, and example embodiments described above, reference to which is made for example only.

Block1702 enables selection of a previously-interacted-with application through a gesture made over a current user interface associated with a current application.Block1702 may do so in various manners described above, such as with an edge gesture or portion thereof, as but one example.

Block1704, responsive to receiving the gesture and without further selection, presents a previous user interface associated with the previously-interacted-with application.

Assume, for example, that a portion of a gesture is received associated with selection of a prior application, such as an edge gesture starting at an edge of the current user interface and proceeding approximately perpendicularly away from the edge. In response, block1704 presents the user interface for the previously-interacted-with application or a thumbnail image of the interface, or some indicator that selection has successfully been made along with an indicator of the application or the interface selected.

Example thumbnail images or indicators include any ofselectable application tiles704,706,708, and710 ofFIG. 7 some of which include a thumbnail image of an interface while others indicate the application selected. Another example isthumbnail image1602 ofFIG. 16.

Block1704 presents the user interface of the selected, previously-interacted-with application, as shown inFIG. 16 atmedia player1604. In so doing, block1704 may enable interaction withphoto application1508 throughimmersive interface304 without further selection. Thus, a user after selecting, with as little as one gesture, a prior application may interact without needing to make another selection. The user need not select to exit an application-selection mode, for example, or make the presented interface “live” or primary or on top of the stack. Simply put, the techniques enable selection of a prior application and further interaction with that prior application with a single input.

In this example ofFIG. 16, immediately aftermedia player1604 is presented and replaceswebpage306, a next input toimmersive interface304 is passed immediately tophoto application1508. Thus, a tap, hot key, or other input is passed directly tophoto application1508, thereby enabling an immediate response byphoto application1508 to the input.

In some embodiments, the gesture made over the current user interface includes portions, each of which indicates a selection of a prior application. In such a case, block1704 presents the previous user interface in response to the first portion and then, responsive to block1702 receiving the second portion of the gesture, presents a further-previous user interface associated with a further previously-interacted-with application, and so forth.

This is illustrated inFIG. 18, which presentsimmersive interface304 ofFIG. 16 (shown twice for visual clarity), and ways in which block1704 can respond to multiple gestures or portions of a single gesture.FIG. 18 illustrates two progressive presentations,1802 and1804, and gesture1806 having two gesture portions1806-1 and1806-2, respectively. Firstprogressive presentation1802 illustrates a drag from a left edge ofimmersive interface304 ofthumbnail image1602, and thus selection of the previously-interacted withphoto application1508. Note thatthumbnail image1602 “sticks” to gesture portion1806-1. Note also that gesture1806, unlikegesture308 ofFIGS. 3 and 16, returns to the left edge. In response, rather thangesture308 ending andmedia player1604 replacingwebpage306, gesture portion1806-1 of gesture1806 returns to the edge at which it began. In thiscase thumbnail image1602 is progressively displayed with gesture portion1806-1 but then disappears when gesture portion1806-1 returns to the edge.

Gesture1806 continues with second portion1806-2. In response, block1704 presents secondprogressive presentation1804, illustrating a second drag from the left edge ofimmersive interface304. Here a socialnetwork thumbnail image1808 of a further prior application, social-networking application1510, is progressively presented. Gesture1806 returns to the left edge as part of second portion1806-2. In response, block1704 drops offthumbnail image1808 when gesture portion1806-2 returns to the edge. This is but one example of ways in which the techniques enable users to select and view prior applications, even all of the previously-interacted-with applications, with only a single gesture. At any point in this example, gesture1806 may end or indicate selection to present the full user interface for the selected application, at whichtime block1704 presents the user interface (e.g.,media player1604 ofFIG. 16 or a full user interface for the social-networking application).

As noted above,example methods200,800, and900 address edge gestures and are described prior tomethods1400 and1700, which address switching back to a previously-interacted-with application, which are in turn described prior tomethods1900 and2200. Any one or more of the method may be used separately or in combination with, in whole or in part, others of the methods.

Managing an Immersive Interface

FIG. 19 depicts amethod1900 enabling a multi-application environment, including altering sizes of multiple immersive interfaces responsive to a single selection. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1 and other methods and example embodiments described elsewhere herein, reference to which is made for example only.

Block1902 enables selection to alter a first size of a first immersive interface of a first application displayed in a multi-application environment in which a second immersive interface of a second application is displayed at a second size.

Block1902 can enable this selection in various manners set forth above, such as with a gesture, whether made through a gesture-sensitive display or a track pad or mouse, or with a hardware button or hot keys, to name just a few.

Consider, by way of example, a case whereblock1902 enables a select-and-move gesture selection through a gesture-sensitive display, the select-and-move gesture of an interface divider region between immersive interfaces of a multi-application environment. This example is illustrated inFIG. 20, which illustrates adesktop computing device112 having a touch-sensitive display2002 shown displaying amulti-application environment2004.Multi-application environment2004 includes a largerimmersive interface2006 and a smallerimmersive interface2008 separated by animmersive interface divider2010. Largerimmersive interface2006 is associated with a word-processing application and presentsdocument content2012. Smallerimmersive interface2008 is associated with a software mapping application and presentsmapping content2014. As part of an ongoing example, atblock1902manager134 receivesgesture2016 as shown inFIG. 20, shown with an arrow but omitting an input actor (e.g., a finger or stylus).

Block1904, responsive to selection to alter the first size of the first immersive interface, alters the first size of the first immersive interface and the second size of the second immersive interface.Block1904, therefore, may alter sizes of multiple immersive interfaces responsive to as few as one selection. Further,block1904 may do so concurrently and without occluding either of the interfaces.

By way of example, consider the ongoing example ofFIG. 20. Responsive to select-and-move gesture2016 ofinterface divider region2010,manager134 reduces one interface and increases the other concurrently, here increasing smallerimmersive interface2008 and decreasing, at the same time, largerimmersive interface2006. The result of this alteration is illustrated inFIG. 21 at altered smallerimmersive interface2102 and altered largerimmersive interface2104. The prior position ofinterface divider region2010 is shown atprior position2106. Note also that select-and-move gesture2016 starts atprior position2106 ofinterface divider region2010 and ends atfinal position2108 ofinterface divider region2010.

Note that in this example,multi-application environment2004 is fully occupied with the immersive interfaces, both prior to and after altering sizes of the immersive interfaces, without unused real estate or real estate occluded with visible controls for managing the immersive interfaces.

This particular example illustrates one way in which the techniques permit a user to select sizes of immersive interfaces, here to increase a map presented by the mapping application.

The techniques also permit users to “snap” immersive interfaces to automatically fill a predetermined region ofmulti-application environment2004. By so doing, gestures and other selections can be used that are fast and easy for users. Further, these regions can have a predetermined size across multiple devices, thereby permitting application developers to prepare for the region sizes. This is especially useful for smaller region sizes, as smaller sizes are often more challenging to present in a user-friendly manner. Consider againFIG. 20, for example, which illustrates a predetermined small-region width2018, here having a width of 320 pixels. In this example, three regions are shown, two of which are subordinate in that they are included within a full region. These regions have widths,width2018 andremainder width2020 for the two subordinate regions, and afull width2022 of a full region, all ofmulti-application environment2004. Note thatremainder width2020 can vary across displays, as canfull width2022.

Block1902 may also enable selection through a drag-and-drop gesture of one of the immersive interfaces from one region to another region. In such acase block1904 may switch the interfaces between the regions or automatically move a divider (e.g.,immersive interface divider2010 ofFIG. 20) such that resulting sizes are switched. By so doing,manager134 automatically reduces largerimmersive interface2006 to fully occupy a region previously occupied by smallerimmersive interface2008 and vice-versa.

In some cases selection to alter a size of an interface is enabled through an edge gesture. Consider, for example, an edge gesture starting at an edge of largerimmersive interface2006 and having a later point not at the edge of largerimmersive interface2006.Manager134, alone or in conjunction withgesture handler128 and/orapplication manager130, shrinks largerimmersive interface2006 to a reduced-size image. Selection to resizeinterface2006, then, can be performed by dropping the reduced-size image over smallerimmersive interface2008. In response,manager134 resizes both interfaces.

Method1900 describes various ways enabling a multi-application environment, including altering sizes of multiple immersive interfaces responsive to a single selection.Method2200 may operate in conjunction withmethod1900 and other methods described herein, though using a queue is not required. Therefore,method1900 is not intended to limit the techniques as described inexample method2200.

FIG. 22 depicts amethod2200 for displaying an immersive interface of an application in a region, including responsive to as little as one selection and at a size fully occupying the region. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1,methods200,800,900,1400,1700, and1900, and example embodiments described above, reference to which is made for example only.

Block2202 enables selection to display an immersive interface of an application in one of multiple regions of a multi-application environment displaying one or more current immersive interfaces of one or more current applications.Block2202 may do so in various manners described above, such as with an edge gesture or portion thereof, as but one example. Further, the application selected can be a previously-interacted with application determined in various manners, such as byapplication manager130 using application queue132, both ofFIG. 1.

The multi-application immersive interface can, atblock2202, present one, two, or even three current immersive interfaces. Thus, block2202 permits selection of an application to place in regions currently occupied or that exist but are occupied by a larger immersive interface, such as in cases where one immersive interface fully occupies a multi-application environment.

By way of example, considerFIG. 23, which illustrates a currentimmersive interface2302 occupyingmulti-application environment2304. Note here that there are three subordinate regions,2306,2308, and2310. These regions may be indicated or not. In cases where an application has been selected and is hovered or moved over one of the regions, the region can be indicated with partially transparentimmersive interface dividers2312 and2314. These threesubordinate regions2360,2308, and2310 are included within full-size region2316 occupying substantially all ofmulti-application environment2304.

By way of example, assume thatmanager134 receives a previously-interacted-with application selected according tomethod1700 and following the example illustrated inFIG. 18. In such as case, assume thatthumbnail image1808 for social-networking application1510 is selected and hovered over region2306 (not shown but similar toFIG. 18). In response,manager134 indicates thatregion2306 is or is about to be selected and the size ofregion2306 by displaying partially transparentimmersive interface divider2312.

Returning tomethod2200,block2204, responsive to the selection to display the immersive interface in the region, displays the immersive interface at a size fully occupying the region. Note that the user, with a little as the one selection of the application, can select and have presented an immersive interface at a size fully occupying a selected region.

Continuing the example, considerFIG. 24, which illustratesmulti-application environment2304 but now with a reduced-sizeimmersive interface2402 instead of currentimmersive interface2302 ofFIG. 23, and with a secondimmersive interface2404 showing a social-networking webpage2406 for social-networking application1510 ofFIG. 15. Secondimmersive interface2404 fully occupiesregion2306 and without user selection other than selection of the region.

Note that the arrangement of content in reduced-sizeimmersive interface2402 and social-networking webpage2406 are both changed. Size changes can be made more quickly or allow for better content arrangements applications and/or developers of those applications having these region sizes in advance, which are provided by the techniques as predetermined region widths. Here the predetermined region width provided isregion2306, though a fill-width region2408 may also be provided.

Followingblock2204,method2200 may repeatblocks2202 and2204, thereby enabling selection of additional immersive interfaces. For example,manager134 can enable selection of a third immersive interface for presentation inregion2310 or2308 ofFIG. 23. In response to such a selection,manager134 reduces the size of, or replaces, reduced-sizeimmersive interface2402.

Note that any of these methods may be combined in whole or in part. Thus, a gesture portion, for example, may be used to select an immersive interface and another portion of the same gesture select to place and/or size the immersive interface. In response to this single gesture, the techniques can resize multiple interfaces currently presented in a multi-application environment.

User Interface for Managing a Multi-Application Environment

FIG. 25 depicts amethod2500 for managing a multi-application environment through a user interface. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1 and other methods and example embodiments described elsewhere herein, reference to which is made for example only.

Block2502 enables selection of a user interface for managing a multi-application environment. Selection of the user interface can be made in various ways including those described above, such as with a gesture or portion of a gesture, hardware button or hot key, or voice command, just to name a few. Prior to selection, the user interface can be fully displayed, partially displayed, or not at all displayed. Consider, for example, a scenario where a multi-application environment is displayed and the user interface is not displayed. An example of such a scenario is illustrated inFIG. 26, which showsdisplay2600 filled withmulti-application environment2602.Multi-application environment2602 includes aprimary region2604 and anon-primary region2606, both of which present various content fromapplications136. Note thatnon-primary region2606 includes twonon-primary sections2608 and2610, each of which may be used to present content in parallel with each other and that ofprimary region2604. In this example, content from three applications is presented in parallel: content2612 from a social networking website,content2614 from a news website, andcontent2616 from a local document-viewing application.

Heremanager134 ofFIG. 1 enables selection of the user interface with a non-visual selector, such as a hot key or gesture (e.g., an edge gesture made to a right edge of multi-application environment302). In some other cases, however,manager134 enables selection through a displayed, selectable control.

Block2504 displays the user interface responsive to this selection. The user interface can be an immersive user interface or a semi-transparent overlay enabling further selection. Through this user interface,block2506 enables selection of an application for parallel presentation in the multi-application environment.

This user interface enables a user to manage the multi-application environment, though it may enable this in various manners. The user interface, for example, may enable a user to present, remove, or set as default an application to the user interface and/or the environment, such as through selection of labels associated with, or representations of, the applications. The user interface may enable a user to select preferences for applications to be presented in the user interface, alter the environment generally, or switch to a non-multi-application environment. Furthermore, the user interface may present applications for selection based on various criteria, such as those applications that are most-recently used or most-often used by a user ofcomputing device102, as well as whether or not the application is currently executing. Further still, the user interface may present a common set of system commands pertaining to an application, such as a user interface that enables search commands, sharing content, or altering settings.

Continuing the ongoing example, assume thatmanager134 receives, through a gesture made on a touch screen ofdisplay2600, a selection to present the user interface. In response,manager134 presents userinterface management menu2700 illustrated inFIG. 27, through which selection of applications is enabled. This example userinterface management menu2700 presents icons and/or names for nine applications. The nine applications include various websites, services, and local computing applications, and are named “Social Net,” “News.com,” “PDFs,” “Telecon,” “Music.com,” “Movies.com,” “Poker.com,” “Art Space,”, and “Maps by GPS” at2702,2704,2706,2708,2710,2712,2714,2716, and2718, respectively. As noted, other applications, such as those pertaining to system commands, can also be presented bymanager134. By way of example, consider system commands2719 shown as a tenth application of userinterface management menu2700, named “Search Share Settings.”

In this particular example, two applications,2702 and2704, are “pinned.” Pin icons, shown at2720 and2722, indicate thatapplications2702 and2704 will be maintained in one or both ofmulti-application environment2602 and in user interface management menu2700 (here it indicates both). Thus, both the “Social Net” and “News.com” applications will be executing and presenting content within some part ofenvironment2602 without further selection by the user (shown insections2608 and2610, respectively). Note that selection of maintained (“pinned”) applications can be enabled bymanager134 in various ways, such as through userinterface management menu2700 presenting pinningselection icon2724 for selection of any of applications2702-2718. As noted, any of the selectable applications may or may not be currently executing—in thiscase applications2702,2704,2706, and2708 are executing and applications2710-2718 are not currently executing.

Userinterface management menu2700 may also present applications based on other criteria, such as a user's history.Applications2706,2708,2710, and2712, for example, are presented based on being the four most-recently-used by a user of computing device102 (other than2702 and2704).Applications2714,2716, and2718 are presented based on being most-often-used, excluding applications2702-2712. In other cases, applications may be presented based on new content associated with the application being available (e.g., new emails, messages, or RSS feeds) or as other alerts for the application are received.

Further still, userinterface management menu2700 enables a user to managemulti-application environment2602 in addition to management of applications, such as withwindow selection icon2726. Through this selection,manager134 permits a user to select to exitmulti-application environment2602 and continue with currently-presented content using a windows-based environment.

Returning tomethod2500,block2508, responsive to selection of one or more applications, causes content of a selected application to be presented in the multi-application environment in parallel with presentation of content of a different application.

Method2500 may receive multiple selections. In response to these multiple selections, block2508 causes content of each selected application to be presented in the multi-application environment. In such a case,manager134 may serially present content from each of the selected applications or at once. In one serial case, consider the above example but assume thatapplication2706 was selected at a prior iteration ofblock2506 and, responsive to this selection,manager134 presentedcontent2616 of application2706 (as shown inFIGS. 26 and 27). Following this selection ofapplication2706, later iterations ofblocks2506 and2508 are performed. Serial presentation of applications is enabled bymanager134 at least through additional iterations ofblock2506 and2508, shown as potentially repeating with a dashed line fromblock2508 to block2506.

Desktop as an Immersive Interface in a Multi-Application Environment

FIG. 28 depicts amethod2800 enabling display of a windows-based desktop as an immersive interface within a multi-application environment. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1 and other methods and example embodiments described elsewhere herein, reference to which is made for example only.

Block2802 displays a desktop as an immersive interface within a multi-application environment. The multi-application environment, like those described elsewhere herein, is configured to support access to multiple applications. Thus, a user may see content through an interface associated with an application (or multiple applications if multiple applications include interfaces on the desktop) and interact with that application through the interface, all through the multi-application environment.

Block2804 enables interaction with the desktop immersive interface. This interaction can be simultaneous with interactions enabled for other interfaces. Further, this interaction can be through the multi-application environment and also include windows-based and desktop-based controls, such as window-frame controls and a taskbar, respectively.

Windows-basedmode module122 andmulti-application environment module124, acting separately or in conjunction withoperating system120 ofFIG. 1, for example, may treat a desktop immersive interface as one ofapplications136 and windows and taskbars, etc., as various examples ofapplication user interfaces138.

By way of example, considerFIG. 29, which illustratestablet computing device106 having a desktopimmersive interface2902 displaying windows-basedinterfaces2904 andtaskbar2906, and animmersive interface2908 displayingcontent2910, all withinmulti-application environment2912. Desktopimmersive interface2902 may also include representations (e.g., icons) of applications executable within desktopimmersive interface2902 and representations of folders to support a hierarchical file structure ofcomputing device102, to name just a few.

Further, the functionality provided within the desktopimmersive interface2902 may behave differently than other interfaces withinmulti-application environment2912, such as those common to windows-based interfaces.

Block2806, responsive to interaction, provides the interaction to an application within the desktop immersive interface. In some cases this includes passing a gesture or gesture portion to an application having an interface within the desktop immersive interface, such as tooperating system120 for an interaction withtaskbar2906, or to an application associated with one of window-basedinterfaces2904. In other cases this may include passing keystrokes to a primary (e.g., up-front) window of windows-basedinterfaces2904. In so doing, the techniques permit users to engage with applications and interfaces common to desktop, windows-based environments, while also permitting interaction with immersive interfaces and other operations of a multi-application environment.

A desktop immersive interface can be managed in a manner similar or identical to those described elsewhere herein. An edge gesture, for example, may be used to select, move, or size a desktop immersive interface, such as desktopimmersive interface2902. Further, a desktop immersive interface can behave as a single application as part of an application queue, and thus be selected or removed from a multi-application environment as noted for other interfaces above.

Multi-Application Environment

The techniques and apparatuses described above enable many different embodiments of a multi-application environment, including environments having one interface but permitting additional interfaces, multiple interfaces that are all immersive, multiple interfaces that are a mix of immersive and windows-based interfaces, and a desktop treated as an immersive interface. In some embodiments, these multi-application environments enable selection of various menus or additional interfaces for systems and applications offering additional controls. In still other embodiments, these multi-application environments enable gestures by which to manage applications and interfaces.

FIG. 30 depicts amethod3000 enabling content presentation and/or management of a multi-application environment. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1 and other methods and example embodiments described elsewhere herein, reference to which is made for example only.

Block3002 presents multiple interfaces associated with multiple applications within a multi-application environment, at least one of the multiple interfaces being an immersive interface.

As noted elsewhere herein, the multi-application environment can present various combinations of different interfaces. Consider, for example, multi-application environments having at least one immersive interface as shown in each ofFIGS. 3,7,10,12,16,18,20,23,24,26,27, and29. These example multi-application environments are described in order.

FIG. 3 illustrates a multi-application environment having a singleimmersive interface304.FIG. 7 illustrates a multi-application environment having the single immersive interface ofFIG. 3 along with application-selection interface702.FIG. 10 illustrates a multi-application environment having windows-basedemail interface1004 and twoimmersive interfaces1006 and1008.FIG. 12 illustrates the multi-application environment ofFIG. 10 along with an interface enabling additional controls—email handling interface1202.FIG. 16 illustrates a multi-application environment switching fromwebpage306, responsive to a gesture selection, tomedia player1604.FIG. 18 illustrates a multi-application environment havingimmersive interface304 andthumbnail images1602,1808 of two other interfaces (one immersive and the other windows-based).FIG. 20 illustrates a multi-application environment having two immersive interfaces, largerimmersive interface2006 and smallerimmersive interface2008 separated byimmersive interface divider2010.FIG. 23 illustrates a multi-application environment having currentimmersive interface2302 andregions2306 and2310 in which other interfaces can be snapped to fully occupy.FIG. 24 illustrates the multi-application environment ofFIG. 23 having secondimmersive interface2404 showing a social-networking webpage2406 for social-networking application1510 ofFIG. 15.FIG. 26 illustrates a multi-application environment presenting content through three immersive interfaces, one inprimary region2604 and the other two innon-primary region2606.FIG. 27 illustrates the multi-application environment ofFIG. 26 along with a userinterface management menu2700.FIG. 29 illustrates amulti-application environment2912 having desktopimmersive interface2902 displaying windows-basedinterfaces2904 andtaskbar2906, and animmersive interface2908 displayingcontent2910.

Block3004 presents content through at least one of the multiple interfaces. Content is shown displayed in many figures described above, such as media being played, social-networking webpages, news website articles, and word-processing documents. The content being displayed is received from various sources, such asapplications136, which may have generated the content or received the content from a remote source (e.g., in cases of a web browser application receiving content from a remote provider).

Note that many of the mentioned figures show content presented concurrently. The multi-application environment can present moving, visual media, such as a movie, in one interface while at the same time presenting a webpage having a media slideshow in another interface, both in real time. Further, the multi-application environment enables interaction with multiple interfaces without necessarily requiring an initial selection. Thus, a user may select one interface or another, without having to first select an interface that is not primary or on top of a stack, as can be the case in windows-based environments.

Block3006 enables selection to alter a size or a location in the multi-application environment or remove from the multiple-application environment at least one of the multiple interfaces.Block3006 may act in various manners described elsewhere herein, such as to enable selection to move an interface from one region of the multi-application environment to another with a drag-and-drop gesture.

Block3008, responsive to receiving the selection, alters the size of, alters the location of, or removes the selected interface from the multi-application environment. Example alterations to sizes and locations of interfaces in the multi-application environment are shown inFIGS. 23 and 24.FIG. 23 illustratesmulti-application environment2304 having at first currentimmersive interface2302 and then having reduced-sizeimmersive interface2402 and with a secondimmersive interface2404 showing a social-networking webpage2406.

Block3010, responsive to the same selection, alters a size or location of another interface in the multi-application environment. This is also shown inFIGS. 23 and 24. While not shown,multi-application environment module124 responds to an interface being removed by resizing and/or re-locating other interface(s) within the multi-application environment. Assume a case wheremulti-application environment2304 includes bothinterfaces2402 and2404 ofFIG. 24. Responsive to a selection to remove secondimmersive interface2402,multi-application environment module124 returns tomulti-application environment2304 as shown inFIG. 23, which includes only currentimmersive interface2302. Note that currentimmersive interface2302 is larger than, and occupies a region of, secondimmersive interface2404.

The preceding discussion describes some methods in which the techniques manage immersive interfaces in a multi-application environment, some other methods that enable switching back to a previously-interacted-with application, still other methods that describe ways in which the techniques enable and/or use edge gestures, further methods describing ways in which the techniques enable and/or use a desktop as an immersive interface, and a method enabling content presentation and/or management of a multi-application environment. These methods are shown as sets of blocks that specify operations performed but are not necessarily limited to the order shown for performing the operations by the respective blocks. Furthermore, these methods, in whole or in part, can be used in combination.

Aspects of these methods may be implemented in hardware (e.g., fixed logic circuitry), firmware, a System-on-Chip (SoC), software, manual processing, or any combination thereof. A software implementation represents program code that performs specified tasks when executed by a computer processor, such as software, applications, routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, procedures, modules, functions, and the like. The program code can be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices, both local and/or remote to a computer processor. The methods may also be practiced in a distributed computing environment by multiple computing devices.

Example Device

FIG. 31 illustrates various components ofexample device3100 that can be implemented as any type of client, server, and/or computing device as described with reference to the previousFIGS. 1-31 to implement techniques enabling and using edge gestures, switching back to a previously-interacted with application, and/or managing an immersive interface in a multi-application environment. In embodiments,device3100 can be implemented as one or a combination of a wired and/or wireless device, as a form of television client device (e.g., television set-top box, digital video recorder (DVR), etc.), consumer device, computer device, server device, portable computer device, user device, communication device, video processing and/or rendering device, appliance device, gaming device, electronic device, and/or as another type of device.Device3100 may also be associated with a user (e.g., a person) and/or an entity that operates the device such that a device describes logical devices that include users, software, firmware, and/or a combination of devices.

Device3100 includescommunication devices3102 that enable wired and/or wireless communication of device data3104 (e.g., received data, data that is being received, data scheduled for broadcast, data packets of the data, etc.). Thedevice data3104 or other device content can include configuration settings of the device, media content stored on the device, and/or information associated with a user of the device. Media content stored ondevice3100 can include any type of audio, video, and/or image data.Device3100 includes one ormore data inputs3106 via which any type of data, media content, and/or inputs can be received, such as user-selectable inputs, messages, music, television media content, recorded video content, and any other type of audio, video, and/or image data received from any content and/or data source.

Device3100 also includescommunication interfaces3108, which can be implemented as any one or more of a serial and/or parallel interface, a wireless interface, any type of network interface, a modem, and as any other type of communication interface. The communication interfaces3108 provide a connection and/or communication links betweendevice3100 and a communication network by which other electronic, computing, and communication devices communicate data withdevice3100.

Device3100 includes one or more processors3110 (e.g., any of microprocessors, controllers, and the like), which process various computer-executable instructions to control the operation ofdevice3100 and to enable techniques enabling a multi-application environment. Alternatively or in addition,device3100 can be implemented with any one or combination of hardware, firmware, or fixed logic circuitry that is implemented in connection with processing and control circuits which are generally identified at3112. Although not shown,device3100 can include a system bus or data transfer system that couples the various components within the device. A system bus can include any one or combination of different bus structures, such as a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a universal serial bus, and/or a processor or local bus that utilizes any of a variety of bus architectures.

Device3100 also includes computer-readable storage media3114, such as one or more memory devices that enable persistent and/or non-transitory data storage (i.e., in contrast to mere signal transmission), examples of which include random access memory (RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., any one or more of a read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.), and a disk storage device. A disk storage device may be implemented as any type of magnetic or optical storage device, such as a hard disk drive, a recordable and/or rewriteable compact disc (CD), any type of a digital versatile disc (DVD), and the like.Device3100 can also include a massstorage media device3116.

Computer-readable storage media3114 provides data storage mechanisms to store thedevice data3104, as well asvarious device applications3118 and any other types of information and/or data related to operational aspects ofdevice3100. For example, anoperating system3120 can be maintained as a computer application with the computer-readable storage media3114 and executed onprocessors3110. Thedevice applications3118 may include a device manager, such as any form of a control application, software application, signal-processing and control module, code that is native to a particular device, a hardware abstraction layer for a particular device, and so on.

Thedevice applications3118 also include any system components or modules to implement the techniques, such asdevice applications3118 includingmulti-application environment module124, system-interface module126,gesture handler128,application manager130,manager134, and application(s)136.

CONCLUSION

Although embodiments of techniques and apparatuses enabling a multi-application environment have been described in language specific to features and/or methods, it is to be understood that the subject of the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as example implementations enabling a multi-application environment.

Claims (20)

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting multiple interfaces associated with multiple applications within, and fully occupying, a multi-application environment, the multiple applications being different applications, the multi-application environment fully occupying a display and capable of presenting content associated with two or more of the multiple applications through two or more of the multiple interfaces, respectively, at least one of the two or more of the multiple interfaces being an immersive interface, at least another of the two or more multiple interfaces being a windows-based interface, the immersive interface and the multi-application environment not including a window frame that has visual controls; presenting first content and second content associated with a first application and a second application of the two or more of the multiple applications, respectively, through a first interface and a second interface of the two or more of the multiple interfaces, respectively;

receiving selection through a gesture made over the multi-application environment and without selecting a visible control, the selection to add a third interface associated with a previously-interacted-with application to the multi-application environment; and

responsive to receiving the selection and while displaying an interface divider to visibly indicate respective regions of the multi-application environment occupied by the at least two of the multiple interfaces, adding the third interface associated with the previously-interacted-with application to the multi-application environment, the third interface presenting previously-interacted-with content of the previously-interacted-with application.

2. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 1, wherein presenting the first content and the second content presents the first content and the second content concurrently.

3. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 2, wherein presenting the first content and the second content concurrently presents the first content as a first moving, visual media in real time and presents the second content as a second moving, visual media in real time.

4. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 1, wherein the immersive interface represents a desktop, the desktop including the windows-based interface or a taskbar within the immersive interface.

5. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 4, further comprising enabling interaction with an application associated with the windows-based interface and through the multi-application environment.

6. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 4, wherein the desktop includes the task bar, and further comprising enabling interaction, through the multi-application environment, with the task bar.

7. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 1, wherein the first content and the second content are received by the multi-application environment from the first application and the second application, respectively.

8. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 1, further comprising, in response to receiving the selection to add the third interface, removing one of the multiple interfaces, altering a position of one of the multiple interfaces, or reducing a current size of one of the multiple interfaces.

9. One or more hardware-based computer-readable storage media comprising instructions that, responsive to execution by one or more hardware-based processors, cause the one or more hardware-based processors to perform operations comprising:

presenting multiple interfaces associated with multiple applications within a multi-application environment, at least one of the multiple interfaces being an immersive interface in which content is presented, the immersive interface representing a desktop having at least one windows-based interface or task bar, the multi-application environment fully occupying a display and not having a window frame that includes visual controls;

presenting first content and second content associated with a first application and a second application of the multiple applications, respectively, through a first interface and a second interface of the multiple interfaces, respectively;

receiving a gesture indicating a selection to add another interface associated with a previously-interacted-with application to the multiple-application environment, the gesture received over the multi-application environment and without selection of a visible control, the gesture having a start point at an edge of the multi-application environment and a later point not at the edge of the multi-application environment; and

responsive to receiving the gesture and while displaying an interface divider to visibly indicate respective regions of the multi-application environment occupied by at least two of the multiple interfaces, adding the other interface associated with the previously-interacted-with application to the multi-application environment, the other interface presenting previously-interacted-with content of the previously-interacted-with application.

10. The one or more hardware-based computer-readable storage media as described inclaim 9, wherein adding the other interface to the multi-application environment alters a size of at least one of the multiple interfaces occupying one of the respective regions the multi-application environment.

11. The one or more hardware-based computer-readable storage media as described inclaim 9, wherein adding the other interface to the multi-application environment alters a location of at least one of the multiple interfaces occupying one of the respective regions the multi-application environment.

12. The one or more hardware-based computer-readable storage media as described inclaim 11, wherein the operations further comprise automatically sizing the other interface to a first pre-defined region of the multi-application environment and the at least one of the multiple interfaces to a second pre-defined region of the multi-application environment.

13. The one or more hardware-based computer-readable storage media as described inclaim 9, wherein the operations further comprise, in response to the selection to add the other interface removing one of the multiple interfaces from the multi-application environment.

14. The one or more hardware-based computer-readable storage media as described inclaim 9, wherein the operations further comprise enabling interaction with the windows-based interface or the task bar.

15. The one or more hardware-based computer-readable storage media as described inclaim 14, wherein enabling interaction with the windows-based interface enables interaction through input other than gesture-based input made over a gesture-sensitive display.

16. A system comprising:

one or more hardware-based processors;

one or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions thereon that, responsive to execution by the one or more hardware-based processors, cause the one or more hardware-based processors to perform operations comprising:

presenting multiple interfaces associated with multiple applications within a multi-application environment, at least one of the multiple interfaces being an immersive interface, at least another of the multiple interfaces being a windows-based interface, the multi-application environment fully occupying a display and not including a window frame that has visual controls;

presenting first content and second content associated with a first application and a second application of the multiple applications, respectively, through a first interface and a second interface of the two or more multiple interfaces and at a same time;

receiving selection to add a third interface associated with a previously-interacted-with application to the multi-application environment, the selection received through the multi-application environment without selecting a visual control; and

responsive to receiving the selection and while displaying an interface divider to visibly indicate respective regions of the multi-application environment occupied by the at least two of the multiple interfaces, adding the third interface associated with the previously-interacted-with application to the multi-application environment, the third interface presenting previously-interacted-with content of the previously-interacted-with application.

17. A system as described inclaim 16, wherein responsive to execution by the one or more hardware-based processors, the instructions further cause the one or more hardware-based processors to perform operations comprising, responsive to receiving the selection to add the third user interface, removing one of the multiple interfaces, altering a position of one of the multiple interfaces, or reducing a current size of one of the multiple interfaces.

18. A system as described inclaim 17, wherein responsive to execution by the one or more hardware-based processors, the instructions further cause the one or more hardware-based processors to perform operations comprising automatically sizing the third interface to a first region of the multi-application environment and the other of the multiple interfaces to a second region of the multi-application environment.

19. A system as described inclaim 16, wherein presenting the first content and the second content presents the first content as a first moving, visual media in real time and presents the second content as a second moving, visual media in real time.

20. A system as described inclaim 16, wherein responsive to execution by the one or more hardware-based processors, the instructions further cause the one or more hardware-based processors to perform operations comprising enabling interaction with the windows-based interface through the multi-application environment.

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